Rugby: 'Brewing up a storm' - goes the sponsor's logo for these, ahem, autumn internationals, and they certainly did that yesterday.

Adapting to the foul conditions far better, as you suspected they might, it will have given Eddie O'Sullivan's team immense satisfaction to know Ireland didn't just beat Australia. Brimming with the kind of confidence no Irish team has shown in decades, they outthought and outfought them.

This 21-6 win was the biggest winning margin over Australia at Lansdowne Road and equalled Ireland's biggest victory over the Wallabies, the 27-12 win in Brisbane in 1979. In another neat nod to that Ollie Campbell-inspired series win, this was the first time since then that Ireland have recorded back-to-back wins over teams from the southern hemisphere Big Three.

Electing to play into the elements, as Australia would have done, in part because the forecast was for the weather to worsen, the first half particularly, was a tacit, excellently conceived and superbly executed lesson in how to play into the wind. Helped by redemptory tries for the recalled duo of Denis Hickie and Geordan Murphy, at 15-6 ahead the game was more or less up at the interval.

Confining themselves mostly to short passes or nothing riskier than close-in offloads, Ronan O'Gara masterfully pulled the strings, Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll acted as primary ball-carrying focal points as the green jerseys hunted in packs, hitting the breakdowns hard, low and quickly to keep hold of the greasy pill.

Indeed, Ireland played so well into the teeth of the wind and rain blowing from the seated south terrace that you felt sympathy for those huddled together in the standing Havelock Square end, peering into the distance to watch most of the action.

"The first half was an outstanding performance, and so was the secondhalf, although of a different nature," said O'Sullivan. "We took a risk when winning the toss and to be honest I would have taken an even score at half-time and close the game out with kicks in the second half. But we put ourselves in a winning position and like last week said that we would go into our shells. It wasn't pretty but it was very effective. A good day's work."

Admittedly, everything was in Ireland's favour, and they were up against one of the most unambitious and limited Australia sides to ever visit Lansdowne Road. A long way from either the Sunshine or Gold Coasts, they played almost as if they were in a collective hump. "That was pretty tough to play in, close to the toughest wind and wet conditions that I've ever played in," reflected their captain Stirling Mortlock ruefully.

But Ireland's win was even more comfortable than the scoreline might indicate. Australia also looked more patterned and limited playing into the wind, by playing almost exclusively around the fringes or down the blind side, as if by duty out of some dog-eared playbook, but at least they kept the scoreline down and showed some spirit; John Connolly making much of only losing the second half 6-3.

"The damage was done in the first half," admitted Connolly. "We played poorly with the wind, and Ireland controlled the ball; incredibly patient, a lot of composure, used to the conditions. Ten, 12 and 13 I thought played incredibly well. They're a great team, we saw that in the southern hemisphere in June and they're a good team at this time of the year. They're in good form."

There were few Irish blemishes, although the use of David Wallace as openside undoubtedly diluted his ball-carrying influence. Isaac Boss confirmed his emergence as a genuine foil to Peter Stringer, O'Sullivan admitting that the conditions suited the Ulster's Kiwi game. Although his tendency to have a look helps to slow the service down compared to Stringer, he could at the very least be a decidedly useful impact replacement.

Amid all the giddiness, even in these conditions, it's hard to put a dampener on Ireland's current rude health. But pitting them as second favourites for the World Cup was, as Brian O'Driscoll admitted "ridiculous" and he pointed out the organisers won't be inclined to bring the tournament forward 10 months.

Others are on the road, on their downers, or in more experimental mode, and plenty can happen in 10 months; never mind Ireland's brute of a draw. Marcus Horan, for one, appeared to have sustained a torn calf that is liable to not only sideline him for the Pacific Islands' game next Sunday but Munster's pre-Christmas European jousts against Cardiff.

Pertinently, Connolly also pointed out: "If Ireland lose Hayes, O'Connell or 10, 12 or 13 . . . that's going to be Eddie O'Sullivan's concern but Ireland are the best team in Europe from what we have seen." Be wary of beaten opposing coaches throwing bouquets.

In what was scheduled to be the penultimate Test match at Lansdowne Road as we've come to love it and loathe it, several of those wearing green were perhaps bidding farewell to the old venue for ever more; the first-half try-scorers amongst them.

This depends on how experimental O'Sullivan will be this Wednesday when naming his side to play the pick of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. As both Chris Cusiter and John Beattie can testify, even when making sluggish starts the Islanders can be wounding opponents, and in both the 38-20 defeat to Wales and Saturday's 34-22 loss to the Scots, they have plenty of ballast in their backs and tend to finish strongly in the second 40.

"I said we would look at things differently if we got two good performances, and we've got to trust ourselves to do that now," said O'Sullivan, hinting at a significant number of changes which should delve into the A squad. "I still want to win, next week. It is the last game at Lansdowne Road before the wrecking crew move in, so you'd like to leave on a good note. But we have to be realistic too. We've got to work towards the World Cup but still win a Test game."

If all goes to plan, the wrecking crew could conceivably move in next January or February. But an oral public hearing - expected to last five days - into the planning permission will take place with An Bord Pleanála on December 11th, with several local residents expected to lodge detailed objections. Even if the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company is granted planning permission, the best-case scenario for completion of the €365 million project is in time for the autumnal international three years' hence, in 2009.

A pity it won't have a roof.